This afternoon's meeting at Sedgefield has been abandoned due to snow.

Officials held an initial impromptu inspection at 9am and had hoped conditions would improve enough to race.

They called a further check for 11am, but were forced to admit defeat earlier than that, with temperatures not rising quickly enough to melt the snow.

Clerk of the course Phil Tuck said: "Unfortunately the weather has beaten us. At quarter to six I was very hopeful, but the damage was done between half past six and seven o'clock.

"It snowed very heavily and that put us into difficulties as the rise in temperature was not sufficient to shift it."

This afternoon's meeting at Market Rasen goes ahead as planned after the track passed an inspection.

Acting clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright was due to assess conditions at 8am, but was able to give the go-ahead earlier than planned.

He said: "We are fit to race. It did freeze slightly overnight but it only just touched the surface. We have a scattering of snow but we could start now if we needed to and we still have several hours before racing."